Study Abroad Scholarships Recipients

TeamMBA is delighted to announce the awarding of study abroad scholarships to Janet Williams, 2011 Cohort, and Aminata Beale, 2012 Cohort.

This academic year a number of scholarships were made available to TeamMBA students who wished to study abroad with an AACSB accredited university. All students in good standing were eligible.

Janet and Aminata will travel to China with our partner, Clemson University, during the first two weeks in May. They will take a Clemson graduate course in international operations and study and travel with Clemson MBAs throughout China. Their travels will take them to Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing, and Beijing. In addition to visiting companies to study their business operations, they will visit many important historical and cultural locations, including the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square , the Ming Tombs and Sacred Way, the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Shanghai Museum and the Yu Gardens .

Congratulations to Janet and Aminata!!

2011 Econonic Development Summit

The 2011 Economic Development Summit – “Technology for Business and Economic Growth” is scheduled for March 16th from 8:00 am until 5:00pm. It will be held on the North Georgia College & State University campus on the top floor of the Library Technology Center. Key features of this exciting and very important event include:

1) Presenters from Intel, Microsoft, Apple, NSPI and infinera who will talk and demonstrate the technology that is driving growth.
2) Governor Nathan Deal will talk at lunch about technology and the state.
3) Representatives from other areas of the nation that have experienced the addition of high-speed broadband in their area will discuss how they prepared for the growth and the success they have enjoyed.
4) Professionals from the economic development field will present opportunities to leverage technology to recruit and grow technology-based businesses.
5) Technology demonstrations will be presented at a networking event later in the day.
6) Participants will have opportunities to meet and talk with others in the field that share their interests and learn what is happening in the region and state.

The summit is designed to inform and enlighten all who have an interest in growing their businesses and the economic base of north Georgia including:

1) Economic development professionals
2) Small and large businesses
3) Chambers of Commerce members and staff
4) Policy makers and government officials
5) Information technology professionals
6) Educational professionals
7) Others interested in growing the economy and jobs locally, regionally and within the state.

Attached is a more detailed schedule and description of the event. Register today at
www.northgeorgia.edu/summit.

Regional Economic Forecast... Healthcare Sector Growing FAST!

North Georgia business class participates in regional economic forecast 1/20/2011 11:24:22 PM
by University Relations

(Jan. 20, 2011) – Healthcare has overtaken poultry as the region’s top industry, according to research by students in the Mike Cottrell School of Business at North Georgia College & State University. The students’ research was presented as part of the 2011 Norton Native Intelligence economic forecast presented to a crowd of hundreds at the Georgia Mountains Center on Thursday night.

Frank Norton Jr., president of The Norton Agency, a regional insurance and real estate firm based in Gainesville, presented the 24th edition of the Native Intelligence forecast, and told the audience that the region will evolve, not recover from the economic downturn that has impacted the entire country.

Norton's annual Native Intelligence forecast features information about the region's economy, leadership and trends to watch. This year’s report featured work conducted by a special studies class in the Mike Cottrell School of Business.

The students’ work was presented as part of Norton’s 10 trends that bear watching. The class, led by Dr. John Scott and Norton, reported that healthcare revenue for the North Georgia region increased from $2.24 billion in 2002 to $3.78 billion in 2007 – a rate of 11 percent annually.

“Poultry is still strong in North Georgia, but healthcare is growing at a faster rate,” Norton said. “The North Georgia area is positioned for incredible opportunities to grow and thrive, but should focus on taking the necessary steps to lay the groundwork for the healthcare service that the population will demand.”

The annual forecast is attended by politicians, business leaders, and civic leaders throughout the region. The Norton Agency collects and interprets wealth of regional data to identify risks and opportunities for North Georgia’s communities.

Regarding the state of the region’s economy and growth, Norton said, “The market is getting better…it is in a state of recovery but the future will be vastly different.”

The 2011 forecast is available online at www.nortoncommercial.com/intelligence.html.

University launches regional branding campaign

11/15/2010 4:35:19 PM
by University Relations
(Nov. 15, 2010)


For years, alumni and faculty have considered North Georgia College & State University as the state's "best kept secret." However, research conducted as part of a new institutional marketing campaign indicates that the university has greater "top-of-mind" awareness than the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech, the state's flagship institutions, in three nearby counties.

A phone survey of 500 people was conducted in mid-October, with 39 percent of those surveyed living in Forsyth County, 55 percent in Hall County and 6 percent in Dawson County. The sample sizes were determined by the population size of each county.

In the survey, when asked to name colleges and universities in the region, 47 percent of the respondents mentioned North Georgia, as compared to 40 percent for the University of Georgia, and 31 percent each for Gainesville State College and Georgia Tech. Additionally, 67 percent of those questioned had a favorable opinion of North Georgia and 64 percent believed the university had a strong or moderate impact on their communities.

These positive numbers came from a group who included very few alumni -- only 10 percent of the 500 people surveyed had attended North Georgia.

While people in neighboring counties are aware of North Georgia, their knowledge of the school seems to be just general. A little more than half of those surveyed -- 51 percent -- could not name any programs at the university. Of those who could identify programs, 27 percent mentioned ROTC or military and 13 percent said pre-med or nursing -- the only programs at the school with double-digit response.

"Respondents had a high awareness level and favorable opinions about North Georgia, but only a small percentage felt very familiar with its programs," said Kate Maine, director of university relations. "As we try to generate external support and financial resources for the university's mission, it's important that we build familiarity with and affinity for the university."

The marketing campaign, sponsored by the NGCSU Foundation, is being conducted throughout Northeast Georgia to help individuals and organizations throughout the region understand the impact and the value of the university and its alumni in their communities. The advertisements are unified by the university's seven core values of loyalty, integrity, courage, service, wisdom, truth and respect.

"This initiative highlights the university's strategic vision of education for life and leadership in a global community by featuring alumni who demonstrate the university's core values in their daily lives," Maine said.

The university has undertaken several initiatives in the past two years to enhance communication with alumni and increase its visibility in the region. Included in these efforts are new print and electronic publications, a Facebook Fan Page, and a new website – http://www.northgeorgia.edu/.

"We have retired ngcsu.edu and adopted a domain name that better identifies the university as it is known by its constituents and the community," Maine said. "Additionally, a similar virtual community for alumni and donors has been established at www.northgeorgia.org."

The phone survey was conducted Oct. 18-22 by Market Research Insight to determine awareness and opinion concerning North Georgia College & State University.

Congratulations Dr. Mark Jordan, Named 2010 Distinguished Professor of Teaching and Learning

University presents annual faculty, staff awards
11/2/2010 5:12:41 PM
by University Relations

Several members of the faculty and staff at North Georgia College & State University were recognized for their efforts to serve students yesterday at the annual University Awards Ceremony in the Hoag Student Center Auditorium.

President David Potter thanked all those in attendance for their dedication and heralded the achievements of those being honored.

Dr. Mark Jordan, professor in the Mike Cottrell School of Business, was named the 2010 Distinguished Professor of Teaching and Learning for his strides in academic innovation and online course development.

“Student-focused teaching and learning are hallmarks of the student experience at North Georgia College & State University and set our institution apart from many of our peers,” Potter said in presenting the award. “One of the challenges to maintaining excellence in this area is being innovative and attuned to how students learn best. We believe so strongly in this that being a leader in innovative teaching and learning is a component of the university’s strategic plan.”

TeamMBA Open House Scheduled November 9, 2010

North Georgia College & State University's TeamMBA program will be having an Open House November 9th, 2010 between 5:00pm and 7:00pm at the Cumming Graduate Center located at 100 Main Street Cumming Ga 30040. Learn more about the TeamMBA program as your tour the Graduate Center. Please bring your resume' for review.

Please RSVP to John Douglas at 770-205-5446 or jdouglas@northgeorgia.edu

Networking Night to Connect TeamMBA Students and Alumni

Networking Night to Connect TeamMBA Students and Alumni

Alumni, current students and prospective students of NGCSU's TeamMBA program are invited to join the Friends of TeamMBA for a Networking Night on Friday, October 22 from 6:00 to 8:00pm at the Results Realty Services office in south Forsyth.

Connections & Cocktails
Bring your business cards (or your digital business cards) to Results Realty Services at 2209 Sharon Road in Cumming for the first of a series of Networking Nights. The event will give alumni and current students an opportunity to get to know one another and make business connections. Those who are applying to the TeamMBA program can use the opportunity to network with TeamMBA alumni and talk with students about the program. Light hors d'oeuvres, beer and wine will be served, courtesy of Results Realty Services.

Get the Latest Info on the Local Housing Market
Terry Swanson, co-owner of Results Realty Services, will speak briefly at the event regarding the housing market in metro Atlanta and Forsyth County. Terry is a native of Atlanta and has over 18 years of real estate experience. His team at Results Realty Services has won several awards, including:

FOUR Rookie of the Year awards from the 400 North Board of Realtors
THREE Top Producing Awards from the 400 North Board of Realtors
The Number One Dollar Volume sold for Forsyth County
Number 22 out of Dollar Volume sold for Atlanta (out of 1,000 plus companies!)

Get Connected
Spouses and guests are welcome at Networking Night and there is no charge to attend. Simply RSVP to the event on LinkedIn. If you have questions about Networking Night, please contact alumni hosts Paula Glover (pdg@pauladglover.com) and Rob Pauley (factorplayer@gmail.com), or call the TeamMBA office at 770-205-5448.

North Georgia ranks #20 among public universities in the South

(8/17/2010 9:39:12 AM
by University Relations

August 17, 2010) - North Georgia College & State University earned the #20 spot among the South’s public regional universities in the 2011 edition of Best Colleges by U.S. News Media Group.

The rankings, which include evaluations of more than 1,400 schools nationwide, are available today at www.usnews.com/colleges, and will also be published in the September issue of U.S.News & World Report, on newsstands starting August 31.

"North Georgia has a strong history of developing professional, civic and military leaders who have a positive impact in their communities," said President David L. Potter. "Our consistent inclusion in this list points to the strength of our university and the outstanding educational experience we provide."

This marks the seventh consecutive year that North Georgia has placed in the top 25 public universities in the South, and a climb from the #23 position in the 2010 report. Over the past two decades, the U.S. News college rankings, which group schools based on categories created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, has grown to be commonly used research tool for students and parents considering higher education opportunities.

Additionally, North Georgia was the top-ranked university in the South for the least amount of debt load for the class of 2009. "With state appropriations declining for public universities, students are taking on an increased responsibility for the cost of their education through tuition and fees," said Kate Maine, director of university relations. "This report highlights the high-value experience North Georgia provides its students."

The 2011 Best Colleges issue provides an examination of how more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools compare on a set of up to 16 widely accepted.

North Georgia College & State University Inaugural Class Graduates TeamMBA

With classes held in downtown Cumming, TeamMBA students have now become TeamMBA Alumni. For 20 months they attended classes two nights a week while working full time. These bright, ambitious students recently received their Master’s in Business Administration. North Georgia TeamMBA program is the only MBA program offered in Forsyth County. “We are proud of our inaugural class. They have set a high bar for incoming students. “states John Douglas, MBA Director. The TeamMBA program which started in 2008 is currently accepting applications for its fourth cohort. For more information on TeamMBA please contact the Cumming Graduate Center at 770-205-5446 or visit our website www.northgeorgiamba.com

North Georgia TeamMBA Alumni Scholarship Fund

With the help of the NGCSU Foundation, TeamMBA Alumni has established a North Georgia TeamMBA Alumni Scholarship Fund. This fund will allow future TeamMBA students the opportunity to attend graduate school when tuition reimbursement programs are not available.

Many TeamMBA Alumni may have a matching gift program with their current employer. This allows your donation to double if not triple. Please see your HR director for more information.

To contribute to this fund please download the commitment card.

Future students will benefit for your kind support!

Creating an Education Plan

So you are ready to earn your MBA? We are here to help. Our facility and staff are ready to help get you on the right track. Foundation classes for the 2013 co-hort will begin in May 2011 which seems like a long time but trust me time flies.

Give us a call so we can get your education plan started. Let us review your transcripts and resume' so you will be on track to begin in May.

We look forward to hearing from you.

John

Financing Your MBA

So you have decided to invest in your future by earning an MBA. That's wonderful. You will have a promising future. So how are you going to finance your education? There are several options for graduate students.

1. Post 9/11 GI Bill- For veterans and active service personnel who have served on active duty for more than 90 days post 9/11. North Georgia is a yellow ribbon participate and graduate studies will be covered under this bill. With the yellow ribbon program you graduate studies will be covered. Please see your veterans office for more benefit details.

2. Employer Tuition Reimbursement Program- Many employers take part in a tuition reimbursement program as an added benefit to their workers. Please see your HR manager for more details.

3. Student Loans- Please visit studentloans.gov for information and to begin completing an application. You can find additional information on the North Georgia Financial Aide's website www.northgeorgia.edu/finaid

4. Scholarships- visit North Georgia for their scholarship list